And He Healed Them All: Second Edition by Jeffrey McClain Jones

Author:Jeffrey McClain Jones [Jones, Jeffrey McClain]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: John 14:12 Publications
Published: 2012-11-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Tipping over the Edge

The next morning, while I sat in my office scrutinizing a freshman ethics paper, Walter called me.

“Hello, James. I had to call you. I had another dream last night. I just finished recording all I could on that little gizmo you gave me.”

I leaned back in my chair, happy to get some distance from that awkward and incomprehensible paper in front of me. “Does it feel like this is gonna go on forever?”

“Actually, this dream seemed to open the prospect of an end in sight, a hint that He can’t keep this up forever.”

Before I could ask what he meant by that a knock at my door interrupted that trip back into the world of Walter’s dreams. The department secretary brought me a message and a late paper from one of my students. I also needed to prepare for my next class, so I had to say good-bye and wait to hear more of Walter’s dream, an extremely unsatisfying start to my day. In fact, by late afternoon I couldn’t take it any longer and skipped a department meeting to visit Walter.

I called Jillian to tell her I was on my way over. By the time I’d arrive, she was already in Walter’s room, standing next to him. He sat near the window and the heating vent. He faced her, the picture of a submissive patient.

They both greeted me, but Jillian stuck to her business, addressing Walter.

“Let’s see how your grip is.” She took his hands in hers the same way I’d seen Walter’s physician do when he’d tested Walter’s grip after the stroke.

“Now squeeze hard with both hands.”

Walter squeezed. He and Jillian exchanged a smile.

“You’re holding back, aren’t you?” she said.

Walter’s grin grew a bit bigger, his eyes apologetic. “I didn’t want to hurt you.”

Jillian pronounced her diagnosis. “He has pretty much full strength in both hands now.”

“Would you mind walking for us a bit?” she said.

“If you folks haven’t anything better to do than watch me stroll back and forth.” He leaned forward and pushed himself out of the chair.

I tried to check with Jillian, wondering whether I should be ready to catch him if he stumbled. She seemed unconcerned, her arms crossed as she watched Walter shuffle to the door and back to his chair.

He raised both hands waist high. “Tada!”

A week before he’d managed just a few feet with the aid of two people, but his gate had become nearly normal, for a sedentary man in his eighties.

Walter seemed to be studying me when I stopped watching his feet and caught sight of his laughing eyes. “Well, how do you explain that?”

I chuckled. “How indeed?”

After we all settled back down, Jillian stuck around for the start of Walter’s next dream narration.

Seated in his recliner, Walter took a sip of water then began. “The disciples made a ring around the teacher as he reached a low rock suitable for rest. They were explaining to those waiting that the teacher was tired and needed to sit down for a while to recuperate.

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